Bucket tilting attachment for loaders



Nov. 25, 1952 N. 5. SMITH BUCKET TILTING ATTACHMENT FOR LOADERS 2SHEETSSHEET 1 Filed July 19 1950 INVENTOR M Abra/41111011272 Y E N R O nA N. 5. SMITH BUCKET TILTING ATTACHMENT FOR LOADERS Nov. 25, 1952 2SHEETSSHEET 2 Filed July 19 1950 m T N E V m b w ii A mw mm ATTORNEYPatented Nov. 25, 1952 BUCKET TILTING ATTACHMENT FOB. LOADERS Norman S.Smith, Walled Lake, Mich., assignor to Dearborn Motors Corporation,Highland Park, Mich, a corporation of Delaware Application July 19,1950, Serial No. 174,663

2 Claims. (Cl. 214-140) This invention relates to a bucket tiltingattachment for a loader and more particularly to such an attachment foruse with a loader wherein the loader bucket is pivotally supported byframe members which may be raised or lowered as desired.

The present invention is directed to the problem of providing anattachment for a selfpropelled bucket type loader whereby the bucket ofsaid loader may be caused to assume various positions with respect tothe bucket supporting members. As will be evident to those skilled inthe art, loader buckets of the type referred to are conventionallysupported so that they can be lowered to engage a load and then raisedto support the load when the bucket supporting vehicle is moved to a newlocation. Such support is usually achieved by means of a loader framestructure which is attached to the selfpropelled vehicle and which hasbucket supporting arms pivotally connected to the frame structure.

While the present invention is adapted to be used with self-propelledvehicles generally, wherein the loader bucket is carried by bucketsupporting arms which are pivotally connected to a frame structuremounted on the vehicle, it has particular utility for use with a bucketsupporting structure mounted on a tractor type vehicle and wherein thebucket supporting structure includes arms which may be raised or loweredwith respect to the tractor by hydraulic means. The present inventionprovides a means 'of tilting the bucket with respect to the usual bucketsupporting arms which are connected to the loader frame and therebyenables the operator to discharge the contents of the bucket morereadily or, alternatively, to engage a load more effectively in order topick up the load.

It is therefore an object of the present invention to provide anattachment for a loader having a bucket tiltable with respect to abucket supporting means whereby said bucket may be tilted as desired.

It is another object of the present invention to provide such anattachment which may be readily connected to said bucket supportingmeans and, after it is so connected, may be readily disconnectedtherefrom whereby the attachment may be used optionally as desired.

It is a further object of the present invention to provide such anattachment wherein the component parts making up the attachment may besupplied in knock-down condition and readily assembled with respect tothe bucket supporting means to complete the attachment.

Briefly stated, a preferred embodiment of the present inventioncomprises a mechanism adapted to produce force and means for supportingsaid mechanism with respect to the bucket supporting structure so thatsaid mechanism can exert force on the bucket to tilt it with respect tothe bucket supporting structure. As previously indicated, it isconventional to support a loader bucket by means of a pair of elongatedsupporting arms, said bucket being located between and pivotallyconnected to the outer ends of said arms and being tiltable with respectthereto. .In a preferred embodiment of the present invention the forceproducing mechanism is an elongated piston and cylinder assembly whichis supported with respect to one of the bucket supporting arms so thatthe piston shaft may be connected to the bucket and whereby movement ofthe piston shaft with respect to the cylinder will cause tilting of saidbucket with respect to the bucket supporting arm. This support isachieved by means of a support bracket structure having a portionconnectable to the bucket supporting arm and having another portion towhich the cylinder member of the piston and cylinder assembly may beconnected. The various component parts making up the attachment aresupplied in knocked-down relation (i. e. as disassembled parts) and maybe readily assembled by means of ordinary tools. Conversely, theattachment may just as easily be detached from the loader when it is notdesired to use it.

Other objects and advantages of the present invention will become moreapparent from the following detailed description taken in conjunctionwith the attached drawing wherein Fig. 1 is a perspective View showing atractor type vehicle (in part) having a loader mounted thereon, saidloader having a preferred embodiment of the attachment constituting thepresent invention connected thereto; Fig. 2 is a view in side elevationof a rear portion of the loader frame structure shown in Fig. 1; Fig. 3is a plan view of that portion of the loader frame structure shown inFig. 2; Fig. 4 is a View in side elevation showing the loader bucketwith a preferred embodiment of the bucket tilting attachmentconstituting the present invention connected thereto and to one of thebucket supporting arms, a tilted position of the loader bucket beingshown in dot and dash outline; Fig. 5 is a plan View of the structureshown in Fig. 4, a portion of the loader bucket being broken away; Fig.6 is a sectional view taken on line 6-6 of Fig. 4; and Fig. 7 is asectional view taken on line 1-1 of Fig. 4.

As previously mentioned, the bucket tilting attachment constituting thepresent invention is preferably used in connection with a loader whichis mounted on a tractor type vehicle and wherein the bucket supportingarms may be raised or lowered by hydraulic means. Such an arrangement isshown in Fig. 1 wherein the loader frame, indicated generally by thereference numeral I, is mounted on a tractor type vehicle, indicatedgenerally by the reference numeral 2. Loader bucket supporting arms 3and 4 are pivotally connected to the loader frame I, as for example atpivot location (see Fig. 2). The loader bucket 6 is pivotally connectedto, and supported between the outer ends of the bucket supporting arms 3and 4 as is shown in Fig. 1.

By means of hydraulic piston and cylinder assemblies, for example thepiston and cylinder assembly 1 shown in Fig. 1, the bucket supportingarms 3 and 4 may be simultaneously pivoted with respect to the loaderframe I to thereby raise or lower the loader bucket 6 as desired.Inasmuch as the loader frame and bucket raising and lowering arrangementdoes not, per se, form a part of the present invention, further detailsconcerning this portion of the structure shown in the drawings areconsidered to be unnecessary. For further details concerning thisportion of the structure, reference is made to Letters Patent 2,489,629issued November 29, 1949, to A. Ford, which describes a loader framestructure and bucket raising and lowering arrangement substantially thesame as that shown and described herein.

By means of the arrangement described generally above, it is possible toraise the loader bucket 8 in order to transport a load from one locationto another. However, it is often desirable to be able to tilt the loaderbucket with respect to its supporting structure so that the bucketcontents maybe discharged more readily or, if the bucket is engaging aload, to tilt the bucket to provide a more favorable angle of attack. Inorder to enable this result to be accomplished an elongated piston andcylinder assembly (see Fig. 4) which is indicated generally by thereference numeral 8, is supported with respect to the bucket supportingarm 3 so that force exerted by the piston and cylinder assembly 8 may beapplied to the bucket 6 to tilt it.

The elongated piston and cylinder assembly 8 comprises a hollow cylindermember 9 which houses a piston ID, the latter being movable lengthwisewith respect to the cylinder 9 in response to force exerted by asuitable medium such as hydraulic fluid I I. Of course, a piston andcylinder assembly of this type is well known in the art and furtherdetails concerning its construction and operation are deemedunnecessary. Suffice it to say that, by means of hydraulic fluidsupplied from a suitable source through flexible tubing I2, the pistonIt! may be caused to move lengthwise with respect to the cylinder 9 insuch direction as is desired by the operator.

As a matter of fact, in the preferred embodiment of the presentinvention illustrated in the drawings, the fluid supply for operatingthe piston and cylinder assembly 8 may be derived from the fluid supplyused to operate the bucket raising and lowering piston and cylinderassemblies such as the assembly I shown in Fig. 1. For convenience ofoperation, the fluid path through the flexible conduits I2 goes througha suitable control valve assembly I3 (see Figs, 2 and 3) to which theflexible conduits I2 are connected. By means of an operating knob I 4(see Fig. 3), which is located adjacent the seat of the tractor, theoperator may readily energize the piston and cylinder assembly 8 tocause tilting of the bucket. The control valve I3 also has anotheroperating knob I5 incorporated therein by means of which the operatorcan energize the piston and cylinder assemblies, such as the assembly Ishown in Fig. l, which raise and lower the bucket supporting arms 3 and4 and hence the bucket 6. Thus, the operator has at hand, so to speak, acontrol valve asesmbly by means of which he can conveniently raise orlower the bucket and also tilt the bucket as desired.

The piston I0 (see Fig. 4) has an elongated rigid shaft I6 connectedthereto, said shaft extending longitudinally from the cylinder 9. Thepiston shaft I6 is pivotally connected to the loader bucket 8 by meansof a suitable pivot type connection denoted generally by the referencenumeral IT. Details concerning the specific construction of the pivotconnection I! are omitted since any suitable pivot type connection maybe employed, the object being to provide a connection between the pistonshaft I6 and the loader bucket 6 so that the bucket can pivot withrespect to said shaft when said shaft exerts force on the bucket.

The piston and cylinder assembly 8 is supported with respect to one ofthe bucket supporting arms, for example bucket supporting arm 3, by apair of similarly shaped supporting brackets indicated generally by thereference numerals I8 and I9. Each supporting bracket is preferably ametal plate member having a portion adapted to be connected to thebucket supporting arm and another portion, spaced from the first namedportion, to which the cylinder of the piston and cylinder assembly maybe connected. Since the brackes I8 and I9 are similarly shaped, only thebracket 5 8 is described in detail.

This bracket I8 has spaced apart end portions 20 and II (see Fig. 6)which extend from a substantially fiat body portion 22. As viewed inelevation (see Fig. 4) bracket I8 is generally triangular in outlinewith end portion 20 being at the apex of the triangle and end portion 2|extending along the base of the triangle. To facilitate connection tothe bucket supporting arm 3 (which is shown as being a tubular arm,circular in cross section) end portion 2| has a curved part (see Fig. 6)which is adapted to contact the bucket supporting arm along a portion ofthe length of this arm as is shown in Fig. 4.

The end portion 20 of bracket I8 has a bushin 23 extending outwardlytherefrom and this bushing 23 is apertured to receive a pintle pin 24which is held in place with respectto the bushing by suitable means,such as cotter pin 25. When so held in place, the pintle pin 24 projectsthrough the end portion 20 (see Fig. 6) and provides a pivot pin meansby means of which the cylinder 9 may be pivotally connected to thesupporting bracket I8. Thus, cylinder 9 has an end section 25 which hasa recess therein (as shown in Fig. 6) adapted to receive the inwardlyprojecting end of pintle pin 24 thereby enabling the cylinder 9 to bepivotally supported by bracket I8.

Inasmuch as support brackets I8 and I9 are similarly shaped, theforegoing details of description given with respect to bracket I8 may beconsidered to apply also to bracket I9. In fact the only materialdifference between brackets I8 and I5 is that bracket I9 has a cut-out21 adapted to receive a cross bar 28 (see Fig. 5) which extends betweenthe bucket supporting arms 3 and 4. Otherwise the brackets are the same.

When it is desired to mount the piston and cylinder assembly 8 withrespect to the bucket supporting arm 3, the support brackets I8 and I9are positioned opposite each other with end porthat it will receive thepintle pins such as pintle pin 24, which project inwardly from theseupper ends. With the parts thus positioned, the support brackets I8 andI9 are clamped together, in properly spaced relation, by suitable meanssuch as nut and bolt assemblies 29, the brackets being suitablyapertured to receive the nut and bolt assemblies.

Brackets I8 and I9 are maintained in properly spaced relation by meansof spacer lug which extend from each bracket and are similarlypositioned on each bracket so that, when the brackets are positionedopposite each other, the respective lugs abut against each other tomaintain the brackets in properly spaced relation. Thus, bracket I8 hasprojecting therefrom (adjacent end portion 2|) a pair of spacer lugs 39and bracket I9 has projecting therefrom a pair of similarly positionedspacer lugs 3 I. When brackets I8 and I3 are positioned opposite eachother (see Figs. 6 and 7) the respective spacer lugs 30 and 3| abutagainst each other to maintain the brackets in properly spaced relation.By virtue of the position and shape of the spacer lugs 30 and 3 I, theyalso assist in positioning the brackets I8 and I9 in clamped relation tothe bucket sup porting arm 3 (see Fig. 6). In addition to the spacerlugs 39 and 31, there are also spacer lugs located nearer the upper endsof the support brackets. Thus, bracket I8 has projecting therefrom aspacer lug 32 and bracket I9 has projecting therefrom a similarlypositioned spacer lug 33. When brackets I8 and I9 are positionedopposite each other the respective spacer lug 32 and 33 abut againsteach other (see Figs. 6 and 7). As viewed in Fig. 4, the various sets ofspacer lugs are positioned in triangular relation.

By virtue of the fact that the bucket supporting arm 3 has connectedthereto a reinforcing rod arrangement, indicated generally by thereference numeral 3 (see Fig. 4) the spacer lugs 32 and 33 not only havethe function of helping to maintain the supporting brackets I8 and I9 incorrectly spaced position but also encompass an upright rod or post 35which forms a part of the reinforcing rod assembly 34. Thus, referringto Figs. 4, 6 and '7 it is seen that the spacer lugs 32 and 33 arerecessed and the recesses are so located that when these lugs arepositioned opposite each other the upright rod 35 may extend through theopening 36 defined by the recesses. This insures that should the bracketassembly tend to tilt about the longitudinal. axis of bucket supportingarm 3, such tilting will be resisted by engagement of either one or theother of spacer lugs 32 and 33 with upright rod 35. Of course, in aloader structure where the bucket supporting arm does not have areinforcing rod arrangement such as that designated at 3 there would beno need to provide for a means of encompassing an upright rod such asthe means for encompassing rod 35. However, it is desirable to providesuch 6 an arrangement to give stability to the attachment.

It is thus seen that the support brackets l8 and I9 may be clamped tothe bucket supporting arm 3 and are maintained in correctlyspacedrelation with respect to each other by means of the. variousspacer lugs30-43. When they aresospaced the upper end portions, such as end portion20 of bracket I8, will be in correctly spaced relation to receive theend section 26 of cylinder 9. When end section 26 is so located betweenthe upper end portions of the support brackets l8 and I9, it ispivotally connected thereto by means of pintle pins 24. The piston andcylinder assembly 8 is thus pivotally supported with respect to thebucket supporting arm 3.

When the piston shaft is is pivotally connected, as at H, to the loaderbucket 6, movement of the piston ID with respect to the cylinder 9 willcause tilting of the loader bucket 6 with respect to the bucketsupporting arm 3. A tilted position of the bucket 6 is shown in dot anddash outline in Fig. 4. Of course, tilt movement of the bucket 6 causesthe cylinder 9 to pivot with respect to the support brackets I8 and I9,i. e. to rock about pintle pins 24.

The loader bucket 6 tilts about a tilt axi which is substantiallyperpendicular to the longitudinal axis of bucket supporting arm 3. Thisis evident from an inspection of the Various figures of the drawings andmore particularly Figs. 1, 4 and 5. Also, the piston and cylinderassembly 6 is mounted with respect to the bucket supporting arm 3 sothat the longitudinal axis of this piston and cylinder assembly 3 liessubstantially in the same plane as does the longitudinal axis of thebucket supporting arm 3. This is evident from an inspection of Figs. 5and 6. The plane which includes these longitudinal axes is substantiallyperpendicular to the axis about which loader bucket 6 tilts. This isalso evident from an inspection of Figs. 4-6 inclusive.

While a piston and cylinder assembly is shown as a preferred embodimentof a mechanism for producing force to tilt the loader bucket 6, othersuitable force producing means could be provided if desired. The centralidea is to have an elongated housing and a movable rigid shaft extendinglongitudinally therefrom which is pivotally connectable to the loaderbucket and wherein the elongated housing is pivotally connectable to thesupport bracket structure. The central idea with respect to the supportbracket arrangement is to have a bracket structure which will positionthe force producing mechanism in substantial alignment with the bucketsupporting arm and which will enable this force producing mechanism topivot with respect to the support bracket structure.

An attachment of the type described and illustrated herein is found tohave substantial utility in connection with a power loader, particularlya loader mounted on a tractor type vehicle and operated by hydraulicmeans. The various component parts of said attachment may be supplied asa kit and assembled at the location where the attachment is to be used.It is to be noticed that the means of assembly are relatively simpleincluding primarily nut and bolt connections. When it is desired todisconnect the attachment this may be readily done as is evident and theattachment may be stored for subsequent use as desired.

While I have described and illustrated a preferred embodiment of myinvention, I wish it to be understood that I do not intend to berestricted solely thereto but that I do intend to cover allmodifications thereof which would be readily apparent to one skilled inthe art and which come within the spirit and scope of my invention.

Having thus described my invention, what is claimed as new and desiredto be secured by Letters Patent is:

1. A bucket tilting attachment for a loader having a bucket supported byan elongated arm and tiltable with respect thereto about an axissubstantially perpendicular to said arm, said arm having truss typereinforcements including an upstanding post extending therefrom adjacentthe bucket, said attachment comprising a mechanism capable of producingforce, said mechanism having an elongated housing and a rigid shaftmovable with respect to said housing and extending longitudinallytherefrom, a bracket for supporting said mechanism with respect to thebucket supporting arm, said bracket having a substantially flat bodyportion and spaced apart end portions extending from said body portion,one of said end portions being adapted to contact the bucket supportingarm along a portion of the length of said arm, means to detachablyconnect said last named end portion to the bucket supporting armadjacent the upstanding post extending from said arm, means todetachably connect the substantially flat bracket body portion to saidupstanding post, means to connect the mechanism housing to the otherbracket end portion, and means to connect the mechanism shaft to thebucket whereby, when said bracket is connected to the bucket supportingarm, the mechanism housing is connected to the bracket and the mechanismshaft is connected to the bucket, movement of said shaft with respect tosaid housing causes tilting of the bucket.

2. A bucket tilting attachment for a loader having a bucket supported byan elongated arm and tiltable with respect thereto about an axissubstantially perpendicular to said arm, said arm having truss typereinforcements including an '8 upstanding post extending therefromadjacent the bucket, said attachment comprising an elongated hydraulicpiston and cylinder assembly, said piston having a rigid shaft attachedthereto and said shaft extending lengthwise from said cylinder, a pairof similarly shaped brackets for supporting said piston and cylinderassembly with respect to the bucket supporting arm, each of saidbrackets having spaced apart end portions, one of said end portionsbeing adapted to contact the bucket supporting arm along a portion ofthe length of said arm, means to detachably clamp said brackets inoppositely disposed relation to the bucket supporting arm adjacent theupstanding post extending from said arm whereby said last named endportions contact the bucket supporting arm, a spacer lug extending fromeach bracket body portion, said spacer lug being similarly positioned oneach bracket and abutting against each other to maintain the bracketbody portions and the other bracket end portions in spaced apartrelation when the brackets are clamped to the bucket supporting arm, theabutting faces of said spacer lug defining an opening therethroughthrough which said upstanding post may extend when said brackets are soclamped, means to pivotally support said cylinder between said otherbracket end portions, means to connect the piston shaft to the bucket,and means to admit hydraulic fluid to said cylinder whereby, when saidbrackets are clamped to the bucket supporting arm, the cylinder ispivotally supported by and between the brackets, and the piston shaft isconnected to the bucket, movement of said piston shaft with respect tosaid cylinder causes tilting of the bucket.

NORMAN S. SMITH.

REFERENCES CITED UNITED STATES PATENTS Name Date Williams Dec. 6, 1949Number

